Former Bantamweight Champion Petr “No Mercy” Yan Believes Victory Over Deiveson Figueiredo Puts Him Next in Line for a Title Shot
After an 8-month hiatus due to injury, fan favourite Petr Yan returns to action this weekend. In his return, he hopes to set up a title shot against former foe “The Machine” Merab Dvalishvili.
At UFC 306 in September, the Bantamweight division saw the belt change hands. Merab Dvalishvili dominated “Suga” Sean O’Malley to a unanimous decision victory, staking his claim as the king of the 135-lb division.
Since winning the belt, the champion Merab has seemingly been lined up to fight the undefeated Umar Nurmagomedov. However former champion Petr Yan plans to spoil Nurmagomedov’s plans with a win this weekend at UFC Fight Night Macau.
The Highly Anticipated Return of “No Mercy”
Last time out, Petr Yan fought Song Yadong at UFC 299 in March. Despite winning the fight, Yan sustained a series of injuries.
After undergoing surgery on his groin, meniscus, and ACL, Yan returns to action eight months later. This weekend, he faces off against former Flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo.
When asked about his injuries ahead of his return, “No Mercy” stated:
“Getting injured is always bad news, it’s a long recovery and rehab process, but it’s also part of our job. We’re fighters and that’s why we’re different from everyone else, being able to overcome obstacles is how you differentiate from being challenger and champion.”
Figueiredo’s Bantamweight Success
Former Flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo has thrived since moving up to the Bantamweight division. After years of making the gruelling weight cut to the 125lb Flyweight division, Figueiredo sought success amongst the Bantamweight’s.
The move proved to be a smart one with Figueiredo going 3-0 at his new weight class. Earning victories over tough contestants like Rob Font, Cody Garbrandt and Marlon Vera.
Showing he belongs in the new division, his brilliance even caught the eye of champion Dvalishvili. The champion himself stated he believes Figueiredo is more deserving of a title shot than Umar Nurmagomedov.
It seems Petr Yan caught wind of this and is hopeful to leapfrog Umar.
Petr Yan Hopes Victory Will Grant Him a Title Shot
Since he notoriously lost the belt due to disqualification against Aljamain Sterling back at UFC 259, Yan has a record of 2-3. One of those losses came at the hands of current champion Merab Dvalishvili.
Despite the poor form, Yan still has high hopes for the implications of his next bout:
“To be honest, I feel like I only have one real loss on my record, I believe that I’ll be able to compete with all of the top guys and challenge for a belt. Merab has been saying that he’s [Deiveson Figueiredo] the only real deserving challenger for his belt, so this is a good opportunity for me to get this position; beat him and challenge for the belt instead of him.”
Will “No Mercy” get his hand raised this weekend, and will the UFC grant him a rematch against Merab in return? Leave a comment down below!
